Button Stealing Range

Overview

The button stealing range refers to the collection of hands that a player in the button position (the dealer) will open-raise with when action folds to them. The primary goal is to "steal" the blinds (and antes in tournaments) by forcing the blinds to fold. Because the button acts last postflop, it is the most profitable position, and players widen their opening range accordingly.

Typical Button Stealing Range

A standard button stealing range includes approximately 40%–50% of starting hands. This includes:

• All pairs (22+)
• All suited aces (A2s+)
• All offsuit aces (A9o+ or wider)
• Broadway cards (KQo, KJo, QJo, etc.)
• Suited connectors (65s+, T9s, etc.)
• Some suited gappers (J9s, T8s, etc.)

In practice, many players will open even wider, sometimes over 60% of hands, especially against tight blinds.

Factors Influencing the Range

Stack Sizes

• Deep stacks (100bb+): Can open wider due to implied odds and postflop playability.
• Short stacks (≤30bb): Often open tighter because postflop maneuverability is limited, and preflop all-ins become common.

Opponent Tendencies

• Tight blinds: Expand range to steal more.
• Aggressive 3-bettors: Tighten range and possibly add more 4-bet bluffs.
• Loose callers: Reduce range but choose hands that play well postflop (suited, connected).

Tournament vs Cash

• Tournaments: ICM pressure can affect stealing; at final tables, ranges may tighten.
• Cash games: Purely chip EV, so ranges are generally wider.

Antes

• With antes in play, the pot is larger preflop, incentivizing wider stealing.

Adjustments

• Against frequent 3-bettors: tighten your steal range and consider limp-raises or 4-bet shoves.
• Against passive blinds: steal with any two cards, as they rarely fight back.
• When short-stacked: shove instead of min-raise to deny the blinds cheap calls.

Example Range (Typical 100bb, no reads)

A common button stealing range:

• Pairs: 22+ (all)
• Suited aces: A2s+
• Offsuit aces: A9o+
• Suited kings: K2s+ (some players go down to K4s+)
• Offsuit kings: KTo+
• Suited queens: Q2s+ (or Q6s+)
• Offsuit queens: Q9o+
• Suited jacks: J7s+
• Offsuit jacks: J9o+
• Suited tens: T7s+
• Offsuit tens: T8o+
• Suited nines: 96s+
• Suited eights: 86s+
• Suited sevens: 75s+
• Suited sixes: 64s+
• Suited fives: 54s This yields about 45–50% of hands.

Conclusion

Mastering button stealing is essential for a winning poker strategy. The button's positional advantage allows for a wider range, but adjustments based on stack sizes, opponent tendencies, and tournament dynamics are crucial to avoid exploitation.